Lubricating system



.June 16, was. W, W WILUAMg 2,044,2@9

LUBRICATING SYSTEM Filed NOV. 7, 1934 VENTOR. h//IL TER w. w/LL mms ATTORNEY.

Patented June i6, 1936 LUBRICATING SYSTEM Walter W. Williams, Bloomington, lll. Application November 7, 1934 Serial No. 751,800

6 Claims.

rIhis invention relates to improvements in lubricating systems and more particularly to a forced feed lubricating system for crank shaft bearings, andY is a continuation in part of this applicants prior copending application Serial No. 685,020, filed August 14, 19-33 which matured into Patent No. 2,012,209, of August 20, 1935.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple improved efficient lubricating means for shafts such as the crank shafts in compressors,v internal combustion engines, compression type refrigerating apparatus and the like.

With these objects in view, reference is made to the accompanying sheet of drawing which illustrates an embodiment of this invention with the understanding that minor detail changes may be made without departingv from the scope thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a compressor of a commercial type of Arefrigerating apparatus with parts broken away and illustrating in vertical section the bearings of the crank shaft and connecting rods.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating a portion of the interior of the side wall of the compressor and shaft bearing opposite the lubricating pump, and illustrating one form of lubricant relief valve.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the relief valve illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view, illustrating a modied form of lubricant relief valve.

While the embodiment of this invention is illustrated as applied to the crank shaft of the compressor of a refrigerating apparatus such as illustrated and described in this applicants prior copending application Serial No. 685,020, filed vAugust 14:, 1933, it is to be understood that the invention may be applied to crank shafts` employed for other purposes and used Vin other devices, such' as internal combustionV engines and the like.

The crank case I, compression cylinder head 2, shaft bearings 3, connecting rods 4, and connecting rod bearings 5 are of the usual standard construction and, therefore, need no detailed description. The crank shaft 6 is provided at one end with a pulley wheel 1 to be driven by a belt from an electric motor, not shown. At the opposite end of the crank case a lubricant pump B is mounted upon the outer side of the bearing 3, adapted to be operated by the shaft 6 through a connecting link 8a. This pump may be of any particular type adapted to draw oil or lubricant (Cl. 12M-6) from the bottom. of the sump 9 through the. pipe I0 to the intake. side of the pump 0 and discharge.

the lubricant under pressure through the duct Il in the shaft 6 having branches I2 and I3 leading to the bearings 3 and having openings Mi and I5 leading to the bearings of the connecting rods li.

The bearing 3 opposite the oil pump 8 is formed with an exterior recess I3 and a cover plate I1 therefor. The shaft 3, after entering the bottom of the. recess i6, is. preferably reduced in diameter and extends through the cover plate Il to support. the pulley l. A. stuing box or rotary seal is provided upon the interior of the, plate llabout the reduced portion I8 of the shaft 6 to provide a liquid seal upon the interior of the recess I6. This stuffing box preferably includesv an annular bearing member or seal I9 heldin sealed relationv with a correspondingbearing member 20 upon the plate. Il. by a spring ZI coiled about the reduced shaft i8 between the end of. the shaft l5v and the said bearing member I9. The construction, asv so far described, is illustrated in the said co-pending application.

The duct i i, in the form of crank shaft shown in Figure l, is arranged axially of that portion of the shaft 6 received within the bearing 3 mounting the pump 8 andl is enlarged adjacent the pump to be connected to the discharge side thereof. The duct. ISI traverses the wrist pins or cranks of the shaft 6 and then communicatesV with the interior of the recess L6 at one side of the reduced' portion I8 of the shaft. 6'.

In the particular embodiment of this invention, lubricant carried over the gaseous refrigerant separates. therefrom within the crank case I and drains therefrom through drain pipe 22 into the sump 9 which is connected to the suction side, of the pump 8 by the pipe I0. It is obvious that in other applications of this invention the pipe' I0 could be connected directly to the drain pipe 22, or to some other lubricant collector.

The. lubricant is forced by the pump 8 through the duct H' and branches i3 and I2 to lubricate the main bearings 3 of the shaft 6 and through the openings Ill and I5 to lubricate the bearings of the wrist pins or cranks within the connecting rods 4, and the excess lubricant is then discharged into the recessed chamber i6. The

chamber I5 is provided with a relief shown in Figure 1 as including a duct 23 leading therefrom to the interior of the crank case I, which is provided with a flapper or relief valve 2li upon the interior of the crank case or bearing wall so that, as the pump 8, after forcibly feeding the CII lubricant to the respective bearings, causes the excess lubricant to fill the recessed chamber I6; the pressure created therein will open the relief valve 24 and allow the excess lubricant to drain to the bottom of the crank case and from thence be drawn to the suction side of the pump for recirculation. The relief valve 24 is shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3 as including a flat spring 25 co-extensive with the valve 24 and secured at one end thereto by a tap screw 26 which also secures the valve 24 to the wall of the bearing member 3. It is preferable to provide the spring with a struck-up portion 21 over the duct 23 to cause the free end of the spring to bear upon the valve on the side of the duct farthest from the tap screw 25.

Figure 4 illustrates a modified form of relief for the chamber I6 in which the duct 23 communicates with an enlarged chamber 28 in the bearing member 3 opening to the exterior of the crank case. The communication between the duct 23 and chamber 28 is controlled by a ball check and relief valve 29 normally held seated by a spring Sil which is adjusted by a screw-threaded plug 3| threaded upon threads provided therefor within the chamber wall 28, which chamber is preferably closed upon the exterior of the crank case I by a headed plug 32. The chamber 28 above the ball 29 is provided with a duct 33 communicating with the interior of the crank case I.

In the latter construction, the ow of the lubricant under pressure from the recessed chambei` I6 to the interior of the crank case is controlled by a valve wholly within the bearing member 3, and, therefore, not subjected to the action of any of the gases which may be existent within the crank case I. Furthermore, the relief valve in this type is readily accessible from the exterior of the crank case and may be readily'repaired or adjusted without removing the bearing member 3 from the crank case I.

The annular bearing member or sealing ring I9 and the corresponding member 2D are of commercialform having lapped contacting surfaces normally held in lapped relation by the spring 2i. Experience has proved that in devices of the general character herein described in which a rapid rotation of the shaft is necessary, the sealing ring and contacting member burn out or become defective. This invention contemplates the provision of the recessed chamber I6 about these parts to be lled with lubricant under pressure from the lubricant pump controlled either by the relief valve 24, having a flat or relief spring 25 of predetermined pressure, or by the ball valve 29, adjusted to the desired pressure, controlling the relief passage 23. In accordance with this invention, the pressure of the lubricant in chamber I is adjusted so that the pressure not'only assists the spring in seating the annular ring I9 upon its contacting member 20, but also pro-v vides lubrication for the moving parts of the stuiiing box or seal, adding to the life of said members as proper lubrication prevents their becoming defective and provides devices of the character described with more perfect bearing lubrication.

What I claim is: 5

1. A lubricating system for power-driven shafts including a bearing member enclosing one end of the shaft and mounting a lubricating pump, a. bearing member surrounding the other end having a closed recessed chamber about a portion l0 of the shaft, a fluid seal between the shaft and chamber closure, a lubricating duct in the shaft communicating with the discharge side of the pump and said chamber, placing the lubricant in said chamber under suilicient pressure to lubricate said seal, a relief passage controlled by a relief valve leading from said chamber, a lubricant collector into which said relief passage opens, and a lubricant pipe communicating with said collector and the intake side of the pump.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the iiuid seal includes an annular sealing member mounted upon the shaft, and wherein the pressure of the lubricant within the chamber forces the said member into sealing relation with the sealing member upon the chamber closure.

3. In a power-transmitting device including a driven crank shaft, a crank case thereabout, bearing members for the shaft provided in the wall of the case, one of the members provided with a closed chamber about the shaft, a stuiiing box about the shaft as it passes through the exterior wall of the chamber, a lubricant pump communicating with said chamber to force 1ubricant therein under pressure sufcient to lubricate the moving parts of the stufiing box and wherein the stuffing box includes a sealing member carried in xed relation upon the said chamber wall and an annular sealing member about the shaft having lapped relation to the first sealing member, and wherein the pressure of the lubricant within the chamber maintains the lapped relation between said sealing members.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein the said chamber is provided with a valve controlled relief admitting lubricant to the crank case, and wherein the intake of the pump communicates with the bottom of the crank case.

5. The structure of claim 3, wherein the lubricant pump is mounted upon a bearing member of the shaft to be operated by the rotation of the shaft, and a. duct is provided within the shaft to conduct the lubricant to the respective bearings of the shaft and to the said chamber.

6. The structure of claim 3, wherein the said chamber is provided with a valve-controlled relief admitting lubricant to the crank case, and wherein the intake of the pump communicates with the bottom of the crank case, and wherein the pressure of the lubricant within the chamber is regulated by the adjustment of the relief valve.

WALTER W. WILLIAMS. 

